Legal & Compliance
Warranty & Liability explained
Note: This translation is for informational purposes only. The German version shall be solely legally binding. Deutsch →
What happens if something is amiss? This page explains our warranty and liability rules in plain language – as a clarification of our General Terms and Conditions, not a substitute. The contractual documents remain authoritative.
This page provides general information about our practices and the legal situation. It does not constitute legal advice; only the contract documents and the German version of these pages are binding.
The 14-Day Right to Remedy
Upon delivery, you have 14 days to report any defects; we will rectify justified complaints at no extra cost. This arrangement is intentionally more favorable than the strict legal provisions: no legal argumentation is required – a clear description is sufficient. If we are unable to remedy a justified defect, we will issue a proportional refund.
What Qualifies as a Defect – and What is a Matter of Taste
The benchmark is the offer: If promised content is missing, something is translated incorrectly, or agreed-upon elements do not function, a defect exists. Stylistic questions within the agreed scope ('a different tone is possible, but not incorrect') are subject to the revision cycles included in the packages – we treat them with goodwill, but they are not defects in the legal sense.
Liability framework
We assume unlimited liability for intent, gross negligence, and damages to life, limb, or health. In cases of simple negligence, we are liable for the breach of material contractual obligations, limited to the contract-typical, foreseeable damages. This structure corresponds to the recognized standard in Germany and is reflected as such in our General Terms and Conditions.
Particularities of machine translations
Machine translations without booked native-speaker review are marked as such and do not constitute certified translations; we assume no liability for their suitability for official purposes. For business-critical content, we always recommend the review level – that is precisely what it is for.
Statute of Limitations & Documentation
Warranty claims between businesses become statute-barred according to statutory or contractually agreed periods; details are governed by the General Terms and Conditions. We document every complaint and its resolution in writing – the same traceability that we maintain for translation decisions applies here as well.
Step-by-Step Practical Example
Imagine you receive a website we have translated. While reading it, you notice that a technical term in the English part has not been correctly transferred. You report this point within the 14-day period via email to our support – a brief description is sufficient. We confirm receipt and check your notice against the offer. If there is a deviation from the agreed translation, it constitutes a defect. We assign one of our native-speaking translators to correct it, who rectifies the passage. Within a few days, you will receive the revised file. Should the correction not be possible exceptionally – for example, because the error was already present in the source file – we will refund the proportionate price. This procedure is deliberately kept simple: you do not need to follow any formalities, but only to factually state what is wrong. We document the process in writing so that it is clear to both parties how the case was resolved.
Internal procedure at our end
As soon as your complaint reaches us, it is recorded by our quality team. We check whether the complaint falls within the 14-day period and whether the point described deviates from the offer. If so, the process is forwarded to the responsible project manager, who together with the translator arranges the correction. For simple errors, the correction is made directly in the file; for more complex adjustments, we coordinate with you. In parallel, we document the entire process – from receipt to resolution. This documentation serves not only transparency but also internal quality assurance: we analyze recurring patterns and improve our processes. If a defect cannot be remedied, the proportionate amount is refunded immediately. Our goal is to resolve each complaint within a few working days. Please note that the limitation periods for entrepreneurs are regulated separately; detailed information can be found in our General Terms and Conditions. We value fair and pragmatic handling – just as we do with our translations.
Common misunderstandings
In practice, we repeatedly encounter the same misunderstandings. A widespread misconception is that any subjective dissatisfaction with translation style constitutes a warranty case. In reality, a defect only exists if the service objectively deviates from the agreed content – for example, an incorrect technical term or an omitted passage. Stylistic preferences, such as "please make it more formal", fall under revision loops, which are part of your package service. We handle these generously, but legally they are not defects. Another misunderstanding concerns the 14-day period: it is not a strict exclusion period for asserting defects, but a deliberately customer-friendly offer within which we rectify issues particularly quickly and uncomplicatedly. Even after this period, you can still contact us – the statutory limitation periods remain unaffected. Finally, it is often assumed that machine translations without a review stage have the same quality standard as reviewed ones. It is important to understand that these translations are explicitly marked as machine-generated and no warranty is provided for official purposes. Our recommendation is therefore: always book the review stage for business-critical content. This understanding helps set expectations correctly from the outset and avoid misunderstandings.
What this means for customers in practice
For you as a customer, our warranty system primarily provides planning security and low effort in the event of a complaint. You do not need to know any legal intricacies: a simple, factual description of the problem is sufficient to make use of the 14-day correction period. The entire process is designed to allow you to focus on your core business while we take care of the correction. If a defect cannot be remedied – for example, because the error is already in your source file – you will receive a proportional refund without having to negotiate at length. This approach builds trust: you know that in the event of an error, we do not insist on formalities but resolve pragmatically. At the same time, liability limits are clearly defined: in the case of simple negligence, our liability is limited, which remains calculable for both parties. For you as a business, this means you are not taking any incalculable risk. Another practical aspect: the documentation of each case serves not only transparency but also internal quality assurance. We recognize recurring error patterns and improve our processes. You benefit from this in the long term through increasing translation quality. In summary: our system is customer-friendly, transparent, and designed to minimize your risk – without requiring legal expertise.
Interaction with our other policies
Our warranty and liability rules are not to be viewed in isolation, but rather integrate seamlessly into our other policies and processes. One example is the documentation obligation: the same care we apply to translation decisions—such as recording terminology databases or glossaries—we also apply when handling complaints. Each warranty case is documented in writing, so that both parties can trace what was objected to and how the solution was reached. Another interplay exists with our revision cycles: these are included in the packages and serve to make stylistic adjustments that, strictly speaking, do not constitute defects. Thus, if you request changes during the revision cycle that go beyond the original order, it is not the warranty periods that apply, but the regulations regarding additional services. The liability frameworks also influence how we handle claims: if a defect is due to our gross negligence, unlimited liability applies—this is anchored in our quality management. Finally, the clear labeling of machine translations is a requirement explicitly mentioned both in our guidelines and in the warranty. This interlocking system ensures that you always know exactly where you stand—whether it concerns quality, defects, or liability.
Step-by-Step Practical Example
Imagine you receive a website translated by us. While reading, you notice that a technical term in the English part was not correctly rendered. You report this within the 14-day period by email to our support—a brief description is sufficient. We confirm receipt and review your note based on the quotation. If it is a deviation from the agreed translation, a defect exists. We assign one of our native-speaking translators to correct it, who rectifies the passage. Within a few days, you receive the revised file. Should the correction exceptionally not be possible—for instance, because the error was already in the source file—we refund the proportional price. This procedure is deliberately simple: you do not need to comply with formalities; simply state factually what is wrong. We document the process in writing, so that both parties are clear on how the case was resolved. Another example: You order a translation with specific terminology requirements. After delivery, you find that the main term in the target text has been consistently mistranslated. Again, a brief notification is sufficient. We correct immediately and deliver a cleaned version. If the correction is no longer possible in time due to delivery deadlines, we offer a partial refund or a credit for future orders. The documentation of this process also helps us further sharpen our quality review.
Common Misunderstandings
A common misunderstanding concerns the distinction between a defect and a stylistic question. A defect in the legal sense exists only if the agreed translation is materially incorrect or lacks promised features. This does not include personal preferences, such as a different tone or different wording, as long as the translation is technically correct. Such stylistic changes are subject to the correction loops included in our packages and are handled on a goodwill basis – however, they do not fall under the warranty terms. Another misunderstanding concerns the deadline: The 14-day period refers to notification, not to rectification. If you notify us in time, we have sufficient time for correction. It is also often assumed that every complaint automatically leads to a free rework. This is not the case: We make corrections if a justified defect exists. If there is no defect but you wish for an adjustment beyond what was agreed, this can be offered as an additional order. Another point: Machine translation without a review stage is labeled as such; it is subject to the same warranty terms, but with the note that it is not suitable for official purposes. Customers sometimes confuse this label with a defect, even though it is a transparent description of the service level.
Interaction with our other policies
Our warranty and liability rules are consistent with our other policies, such as our data protection and quality assurance policies. When you report a complaint, we process your personal data only to the extent necessary and in accordance with our data protection declaration. Documentation of defects serves not only for warranty processing but also for internal quality assurance: We analyze recurring error patterns and derive process improvements from them – this feeds into our quality policy. Furthermore, the warranty complements our correction loop regulation: Correction loops within the packages cover stylistic adjustments, while the warranty addresses actual defects. Both mechanisms are designed to provide you, as a customer, with clear avenues to contact us. Our compensation rules – such as proportional reimbursement for irremediable defects – are also transparently set out in the General Terms and Conditions. Should you wish to assert any additional claims from other policies beyond the warranty, for example from data protection violations, we will of course review these separately. The warranty is one component of our service promise, but not the only one. For specific questions, please refer to the respective policies, which are available on our website.
Status of this information: July 2026 – we update upon changes in the legal situation or our procedures.